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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22591471">a healer is a soldier of another kind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anam_Writes/pseuds/Anam_Writes'>Anam_Writes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, No Beta, Post-Time Skip, Spoilers, depiction of injured child, depiction of injury, not too graphic though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:47:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22591471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anam_Writes/pseuds/Anam_Writes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flayn hears of a boy amongst the refugees in Garreg Mach's town who faces a dire infection in his leg. It is not as though Byleth can let her go alone.<br/>...<br/>“We’re here to help you,” she said. “I hear your name is Benjamin.”</p>
<p>The boy sniffled. “I go by Benji.”</p>
<p>Flayn’s smile widened. She stepped forward to kneel at the boys side and touch a finger lightly to his forehead, brushing hair from his face. “It is nice to meet you, Benji. My name is Flayn.”</p>
<p>Quietly, as though his voice would not carry across the small space, Benji whispered. “Who is the scary soldier.”</p>
<p>Flayn looked over her shoulder. “He is my dearest friend, Byleth. And he’s not so scary, just very quiet.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Flayn &amp; My Unit | Byleth, Flayn/My Unit | Byleth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a healer is a soldier of another kind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ILoveFlayn/gifts">ILoveFlayn</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I did a think that wasn't Claudeleth! Who's proud of me?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seteth would kill him. He knew that fact like someone had etched it in his bones at birth. There were few things Byleth feared but the righteous anger of fatherly protection would always be amongst the things he feared most. Had someone taken him away from Jeralt in the midst of conflict to tour a decrepit town his father would have murder in his eyes. And yet Byleth walked ahead of Flayn, guiding her through Garreg Mach's town all the same. </p>
<p>"We must turn into this next alley, Professor," she tells him. </p>
<p>She is right, of course. This is the alley the merchant marked on the map for them. But if Seteth was a risk to Byleht’s life for simply taking his Flayn into the city he feared even more what would happen once they went down this alley. </p>
<p>“Are you sure about this?” Byleth asked. </p>
<p>Flayn looked up at him. Her eyes burnt warm and hopeful like candles in the damp autumn night. Her smile was sweet and her expression soft. Byleth could feel her hand, gloved to protect from the cold, reach out for his. She gave a light squeeze to his fingers before turning to go down the alley. “I will protect you, Professor.”</p>
<p>Byleth followed close behind her. His shoulders brushed brick wall on either side of him and it made him uneasy. Were there to be a threat here it would be difficult terrain to fight in. his hand fell to the hilt of his steel blade and his eyes shifted, following the sound of every rain drop to hit the stone beneath their feet. </p>
<p>Flayn fit comfortably into the alley way and walked as such too. Her hands were folded behind her back and she smiled, looking around. </p>
<p>“The buildings are not so decrepit as they were proceeding the first battle,” she said. </p>
<p>Byleth had not seen enough to refute that. The town seemed in the worst state he could imagine. Though Flayn would not fib about such things; her optimism was not a blind creature. She’d known too much of loss to be naive to hopeless ruins. Still, it was difficult to think the town had once been worse off than this. </p>
<p>The alley way came to a fork and Flayn stopped. “If you are really so unnerved you may stay behind, Professor. I will be fine. I have told you already but I have little need of an escort here.”</p>
<p>This place had been crawling with bandits only a couple months ago. And even now Byleth heard stories of ruffians hiding amongst the people, taking advantage of the refugees.</p>
<p>“I will stay.”</p>
<p>She laughed, a light air sound. Byleth felt a fluttering in his chest and wondered if it was what having a heart felt like. No, it could not be so rapid as that. </p>
<p>“Then, please,” gently she brushed her fingers over his own, still on his weapon and ready. “Keep your hand from your sword and spare your steel for battle. We have nothing to fear here.”</p>
<p>Flayn turned to the left down the alley and came to a door. The wood was thin and lopsided, looking to have been eaten by bugs, mold and rain. It did not fit right into the frame anymore and, as such, opened with the barest touch of Flayn’s hand. </p>
<p>“Quickly,” she ushered him in with an open arm. “Before the cold gets in.”</p>
<p>Byleth shuffled under the door frame and examined the room as Flayn closed up behind them. It was small, like the merchant had said. And there were few supplies available save for the unit of medical care the knights had passed on to the refugees, which was not much. Byleth made a note to have Claude invest in more. He was sure his friend would spare no expense for the morale of the town. After all, he had always considered morale to be a potent concoction to the weary spirit. </p>
<p>“Ashen Demon,” a woman, red haired and hunched over in a chair stood to greet him. Her tone was not aggressive but he could see the wariness in her eyes. He could not blame her. Even with the Church’s titles bestowed on him he had a long way to go to earn the people’s confidence. “What bring you to my clinic?”</p>
<p>“He is here to escort me, Madam,” Flayn interrupted, giving a little curtsy as she came up on his side. “It is good to make your acquaintance at last. You told a merchant of your plight here and he passed on word to me. I simply had to come and offer my services.”</p>
<p>The woman’s shoulder laxed and her expression turned softer. “Thank you for your concern. But you’re a young girl and I will not lie, the child’s injury is gruesome. I don’t want to be the reason you get nightmares.”</p>
<p>Flayn’s brow twitched but her smile stayed put. “I assure you, I am older than I appear. More importantly I am experienced in healing and white magic.”</p>
<p>The woman inhaled a shaky breath. </p>
<p>“She’s seen worse,” Byleth assured. </p>
<p>He’s watched her stand sorrowful over battlefields and walk amongst the gathered dead to be burned. He could be sure that, were this boy to haunt her it would do her no more harm than had already been done.</p>
<p>The breath was let out, steadier than it had been and she waved her hand towards a thick winter sheet hiding the back of the room from the entrance. “He’s back there lying by the fire. There’s talk of amputating the leg and he’s in a state over it. Tread careful now.”</p>
<p>“We will,” Flayn gave a nod. </p>
<p>Byleth walked ahead, pulling back the curtain and holding it open in an arch above Flayn’s head. </p>
<p>The boy was covered from shoulder to toes in a large fur blanket and his eyes were swollen red and damp. Snot bubbled at the boy’s nose and sweat matted his hair to his forehead. A state indeed. </p>
<p>“Are you here to take it off?” The child whimpered. </p>
<p>Byleth’s eyes flickered to Flayn’s but she still only smiled. </p>
<p>“We’re here to help you,” she said. “I hear your name is Benjamin.”</p>
<p>The boy sniffled. “I go by Benji.”</p>
<p>Flayn’s smile widened. She stepped forward to kneel at the boys side and touch a finger lightly to his forehead, brushing hair from his face. “It is nice to meet you, Benji. My name is Flayn.”</p>
<p>Quietly, as though his voice would not carry across the small space, Benji whispered. “Who is the scary soldier.”</p>
<p>Flayn looked over her shoulder. “He is my dearest friend, Byleth. And he’s not so scary, just very quiet.”</p>
<p>Benji’s brow knit, unsure. </p>
<p>“Do you want to know a secret, Benji?” She asked. Still hesitant, the boy nodded. “Byleth brought a stuffed bear. He’s hiding it under his cloak. I think he means to leave it behind on ‘accident’ for you to find.”</p>
<p>Byleth flushes pink. He never used to do that before fusing with Sothis but these days it was becoming easier and easier to fluster him. Especially for Flayn. She always seemed to know how to strip him down to the most tender parts of his heart and expose them in her teasing. He had remembered when Seteth was the main target of such jokes. He was not sure whether or not to be flattered by her poking at him as well. </p>
<p>Flayn giggles when the boy goes alight. “Is that true, ser?”<br/>
Byleth clears his throat, still a bit pink and sweating beneath his high collar. Instead of responding he simply pulls out the bear and holds it in his hands. </p>
<p>The boy sits up, wincing only a little when he shifts. Byleth can see dried blood coating the side of his tunic where the merchant said the boy had been stitched. He was in the same clothes he had been in when he was caught in imperial crossfire with Faerghus rebels then.</p>
<p>The boy reached out a hand and Byleth bent over, handing him the toy. He could not take all the credit. Bernadetta had done a fine job with the stitching, Hilda with the patterns. All he had done was commission the two for their work. Still, when the boy smiled and thanked him he was happy to hear the gesture was appreciated. </p>
<p>“Benji? May I take a look at your leg please?” Flayn asked. </p>
<p>The boy hugged the toy tight to his chest. “Will I have to see it?”</p>
<p>Flayn shook her head. “No. You can lie back and turn your head if you like. But I can’t help you if I don’t see the problem.”</p>
<p>The boy did as instructed and Flayn pulled the furs back over, up to his shoulders. A big lump sat on the boy’s chest beneath the covers where he still held tight to the stuffed bear. Carefully, Flayn pulled back the furs at the edge of his makeshift bed to reveal the wound. </p>
<p>If Flayn was shocked she gave no indication. </p>
<p>Blood had cleared from the wound and the skin was solid looking, but grey. Byleth knew little of healing beyond white magic but were one of his own to look like that he’d know enough to take the injury seriously. </p>
<p>“There is good news, Benji,” she said. “It’s not very deep. A bad scrape. It should heal quickly once it is clean.”</p>
<p>“They tried cleaning it,” Benji said. “With water, then a bad smelling paste. Then they tried putting this clear stuff that looked like water on it but it burned.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry to hear that,” Flayn said, leaning over the boy. “But it’s not the outside we have to clean. It’s very, very dirty, Benji: a dangerous kind of dirty. We call it an infection. We will have to start from the inside.”</p>
<p>“How will you do that?” He asks.</p>
<p>“First,” Flayn starts, pulling back and placing a hand under Benji’s knee. “We need to get your leg into a good position.”<br/>
She straightens out his leg over her lap and Benji lays back, watching her face curiously. </p>
<p>“Now, I’ll have to touch the wound,” her gaze turns back to the boy. “Will that be alright?”</p>
<p>Benji nods, seemingly more entranced by her lesson than concerned for his leg now. </p>
<p>Flayn put one hand on each side of the wound on his thigh. Benji watches her face still. </p>
<p>“Now I will use magic-”</p>
<p>“Magic?” The boy interrupts. </p>
<p>“Yes, magic,” she nods. “I will use it to push the infection - the dirty parts - out of your leg and keep it from going any further.”</p>
<p>The crest of Cethleann glowed faint above the boys leg and his eyes widened at the sight.</p>
<p>Byleth watched as the prey subsided from his leg until only the scratch (not so deep, as Flayn had said)  was that ghostly colour. The skin surrounding the injury was a fresh pink that indicated healing, itchy skin. </p>
<p>“What’s next?” The boy asked. </p>
<p>“What next is you try not to scratch at it,” she instructs. “Though it will be itchy.”</p>
<p>“And?”</p>
<p>Flayn smiled. “I will order medicine sent from Garreg Mach to help clean up the rest from the inside and a salve for the outside. You’ll have to use it morning and night until it runs out. Understood?”</p>
<p>Benji nodded. </p>
<p>Just as Flayn started to rise from her knees Benji asked a final question. “Isn’t that medicine for soldiers only?”</p>
<p>Something passed over Flayn’s face before her confidence returned. “You were wounded in battle and have fought through much before I came here, Benji. You are as brave and deserving a soldier as I’ve ever seen.”</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>The journey out of town was as quiet as the journey into it. Byleth walked ahead of Flayn up the beaten stone steps of the mountain pass. The monastery loomed above them, the dawn only just peaking over the mountain range to light their way.</p>
<p>“Do you think the war will end before he’s of an age to fight?” Flayn asked. </p>
<p>Byleth turned to meet her gaze. That well kept smile was there no longer, her hands were clutched at her chest and her eyes looked damp in the fresh morning light. “I believe it will.”</p>
<p>“The last war I fought in,” she said. Then she hesitated, as she so often did. She looked down to her feet, calculating something in her mind before finally she met his gaze again. Her coat blew behind her in the fall wind and her hair glowed a brilliant jade as the sun crept higher still through the sky. “It was so long ago and lasted longer than I had feared it would. So many generations of people from across Fodlan gave their lives away for the sake of war and violence.”</p>
<p>Flayn looked back around her shoulder, down to the town that lay still in shadow beneath them. “I slept so long after that war. Father says it is because I was injured. It’s true; I was at death’s door when they found me. But really, Byleth, I think I could have awoken long ago.”</p>
<p>She blinked back tears. “I think I could not bear the thought that I would wake up to find a world as torn apart as the one I left behind.”</p>
<p>Byleth gulped down the lump at his throat, stepping down towards her. </p>
<p>“What if I can’t bear this war? What if I spend another century at slumber? What if-”</p>
<p>Byleth took her firmly by the shoulders. Her eyes met his. Warm tears trailed down her cheeks but her mouth was held a gape, her laments given pause at the force of Byleth’s will. </p>
<p>“If you cannot bear this war then I will help you bear it,” he told her. </p>
<p>“Professor…”</p>
<p>“And if you spend another century or more in slumber I will wait.”</p>
<p>“Byleth,” she gasped. </p>
<p>“The world will be better,” Byleth said. His hands dropped from her shoulders “But until it is I will help you bear it. I will help you make it so.”</p>
<p>Flayn let out a sob. She was clutching at his waist before he had time to react and the two tumbled onto the step at Byleth’s back. There he held her, weeping into his chest. It rang like a song over the mountains and when she raised her head, though her eyes were red and her cheeks flushed, she was smiling again. It was relief in her eyes and hope in her smile. Byleth could not help himself but to smile back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm really, really happy with how Flayn turned out in this. I tried to emphasize the classical nature of her kindness and her wisdom along with the fragility of her extended girlhood. I think I struck a nice balance. </p>
<p>Hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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